NUZHAT NAZAR

ISLAMABAD: The United States played a diplomatic role in the hours leading up to a ceasefire agreement between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India, following several days of the most intense cross-border conflict in nearly 30 years.

According to a US State Department spokesperson, Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate conversations on Saturday with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Rubio emphasised the urgency of de-escalation and reiterated Washington’s offer to facilitate dialogue aimed at preventing future hostilities.

Prior to the ceasefire, Pakistan launched a military offensive early Saturday targeting key Indian military installations.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military struck a BrahMos missile storage facility near Beas, as well as the Pathankot airbase in Indian Punjab and Udhampur Air Force Station in the Jammu region.

The operation, named Bunyan-un-Marsoos — meaning “a solid, unified structure” and drawn from the holy Quran — was launched in response to what Islamabad described as “unprovoked aggression” by New Delhi. Indian forces had reportedly carried out strikes on Pakistani territory earlier this week following an attack on tourists in Pahalgam, a region of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Since Wednesday, hostilities along the Line of Control (LoC) have included drone strikes, missile launches, and intense artillery exchanges, resulting in over 50 reported fatalities.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told local media that Pakistan had implemented “special protocols” to avoid civilian casualties, asserting that the military was focusing only on strategic assets used against Pakistan.

The situation has stabilised after both sides agreed to a ceasefire late Saturday, following US mediation efforts.